Danville Aldermen Differ on Downtown Promotion

Danville has a new city budget for the next fiscal year, but not before alderman disagreed Tuesday on how best to promote the downtown area.

Mayor Scott Eisenhauer wanted to eliminate funding for Downtown Danville Inc, which ended up receiving $20-thousand, $10-thousand less than it's currently getting from the city.

Alderman Bill Black voted against the move. He says that group appears to be repeating what's being done by the Danville Convention and Visitor's bureau, and particularly, Vermilion Advantage.

"They have a proven track record, they've been around, and I just think the days are over when you can afford a duplication, or sometimes a triplication of effort, " Black said. "It's not against Downtown Danville, or the people on the board, they're fine people. But I just thought in these days of tight budgets, you need to put your money where you get the best return for your dollars."

Black says he disagrees with taking the money to lure business out of the city's general liability line item.

Alderman Rickey Williams Jr. supported the funding for Downtown Danville Inc., saying the focus of Vermilion Advantage should remain on the greater Vermilion County area. But Williams says he considers the vote a victory, since Mayor Eisenhauer wanted to zero-out funding for the group.

"Downtown Danville has struggled for years, and I feel like they're finally starting to have those type resurges that we need in terms of the services offered, in terms of having a little more retail and such downtown," Williams said. "And I think that it's imperative if we want that area to continue to grow, that we support them as a city."

Williams serves on the board of Vermilion Advantage, but says it's focused instead on development in greater Vermilion County.

That group received $70-thousand from the city Tuesday, $20-thousand more that it's currently getting, after a year that's seen retail developments, including new Meijer and Kohl's stores that are underway.

The Danville city budget passed Tuesday on a 10 to 2 vote.